Overnight Defense: US begins Afghanistan drawdown | Army commander may have been exposed to coronavirus | US struggles with adversaries hit by outbreak | Two US troops killed in Iraq

Happy Monday and welcome to Overnight Defense. I’m Rebecca Kheel, and here’s your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter.

 

THE TOPLINE: The U.S. military drawdown in Afghanistan has started.

A spokesman for U.S. Forces Afghanistan confirmed the start of the drawdown, which is coming just a little more than a week after the United States signed a deal with the Taliban to withdraw.

“In accordance with the U.S.-Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Joint Declaration and the U.S.-Taliban Agreement, U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) has begun its conditions-based reduction of forces to 8,600 over 135 days,” spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said in a statement.

“USFOR-A maintains all the military means and authorities to accomplish our objectives–including conducting counterterrorism operations against al-Qaeda and ISIS-K and providing support to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces,” he added. “USFOR-A is on track to meet directed force levels while retaining the necessary capabilities.”

Afghan political crisis: News of the drawdown’s start comes the same day Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his rival, Abdullah Abdullah, held dueling inauguration ceremonies in Kabul.

Last month, Afghanistan’s election commission declared Ghani the winner of the country’s September elections, but Abdullah continues to dispute the results.

U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad reportedly shuttled between Ghani and Abdullah late into Sunday night and just before the two ceremonies, but was unable to resolve the issue.

The Washington Post reported that Ghani’s ceremony was interrupted by an ISIS-claimed rocket attack near the presidential palace.

“We have seen major attacks. Don’t be afraid by two small blasts,” Ghani said before being escorted away by his security detail, according to The Post.

The deepening political turmoil threatens to undermine the U.S.-Taliban deal.

The agreement called for the start of intra-Afghan negotiations Tuesday, but those talks are not expected to begin as planned amid Afghanistan’s political crisis, as well as the continued dispute over the prisoner swap the deal calls for.

 

CORONAVIRUS FEARS HIT THE CAPITOL: Pressure is mounting on congressional leaders to cancel votes and restrict activity in the Capitol to avert a coronavirus outbreak.

Several lawmakers appearing at the recent American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference and Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) gatherings in the Washington, D.C., area interacted with individuals who have since tested positive for the highly contagious virus.

Both Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) said over the weekend they would self-quarantine after coming into contact with a person at CPAC who had tested positive.

On Monday, Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Doug Collins (R-Ga.) also said they would self-quarantine after coming into contact with the CPAC patient. Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) also announced Monday she would self-quarantine after meeting with someone in D.C. who tested positive for the virus.

At the Pentagon: The Army announced Monday afternoon that its top commander in Europe, Lt. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, and several staffers may have been exposed to the virus at a recent conference.

“Out of an abundance of caution, and following recommended protocols, he and others potentially affected are self-monitoring and working remotely to fulfill their command duties and responsibilities,” Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said in a statement.

U.S. Army Europe health officials have been in contact with and have notified all other U.S. personnel who were at risk of exposure, McCarthy added.

The Pentagon also announced Saturday that U.S. Marine in Virginia tested positive for the virus.

“A U.S Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir, VA tested positive today for COVID-19 and is currently being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital,” chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman tweeted Saturday. “The Marine recently returned from overseas where he was on official business. Secretary Esper and the White House have been briefed.”

What to do about adversaries: Over the weekend, your Overnight Defense correspondent took a look at questions being raised at how the United States should help its adversaries mitigate the spread of coronavirus.

The Trump administration has sent a message to Iran, via the Swiss, offering to help with the disease, while also criticizing Tehran for suppressing information about its spread.

Then there’s North Korea. The hermit kingdom says it has seen no coronavirus cases, but news outlets with contacts on the ground report otherwise. With serious outbreaks in neighboring China and South Korea, regional experts are skeptical the disease hasn’t made its way into North Korea.

Both Iran and North Korea are under harsh U.S. sanctions, even as the international community worries about how their fragile medical systems can handle the disease.

“The United States should be working with and empowering the international organizations in which it’s an active participant in, including the U.N., and empowering those organizations to provide even adversarial countries with the humanitarian support that they need,” said Kristine Lee, an associate fellow at the Center for a New American Security’s Asia Pacific security program.

Read more here.

 

TWO US TROOPS KILLED IN IRAQ: Two U.S. troops were killed Sunday during an operation against ISIS in northern Iraq, the U.S. military announced Monday.

The troops were killed by “enemy forces” during a joint operation with Iraqi security forces to “eliminate an ISIS terrorist stronghold” in a mountainous area of north central Iraq, Operation Inherent Resolve said in a statement.

The names of the service members who were killed were not released, following Pentagon policy to wait to announce them until after next of kin are notified.

The deaths were the first U.S. combat deaths in Iraq this year.

Deaths prompt review: The New York Times reported that the incident has prompted a review of how U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria conduct missions. U.S. military operations will continue during the review, the Times said.

According to the Times, the two service members killed were part of a Marines Special Operations team working with Iraqi counterterrorism forces.

The Marines were killed during a gun battle while clearing a well-defended cave complex, according to the Times. In a recovery operation that took six hours, the dead had to be pulled out with a hoist after falling into a crevice, the Times added.

 

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW

The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for the nominees to be under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness, assistant secretary of Defense for sustainment and assistant secretary of Defense for strategy, plans and capabilities at 9:30 a.m. at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, room G-50. https://bit.ly/2VXsUFC

The House Budget Committee will hold a hearing on the Pentagon’s fiscal 2021 budget request with testimony from Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist at 10 a.m. at the Cannon House Office Building, room 210. https://bit.ly/2vV12aq

The House Armed Services Committee has two hearings scheduled:

— A full committee hearing on the Middle East and Africa with testimony from Central Command chief Gen. Frank McKenzie and Africa Command chief Gen. Stephen Townsend at 10 a.m. at the Rayburn House Office Building, room 2118. https://bit.ly/2TTSyZ5

— A subcommittee hearing on tactical and rotary aircraft acquisition and modernization at 2 p.m. at Rayburn 2118. https://bit.ly/3aRTPaj

The House Appropriations Committee has three defense-related hearings scheduled:

— A closed defense subcommittee hearing on U.S. Southern Command at 11 a.m. https://bit.ly/338Csiz

— A Homeland Security subcommittee hearing on the Coast Guard with testimony from Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz at 1:30 p.m. at Rayburn 2359. https://bit.ly/2PYdqxu

— A defense subcommittee hearing on the Army budget with testimony from Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville at 3 p.m. at the House, room 140. https://bit.ly/2TCi1Yo

A House Foreign Affairs Committee subpanel will hold a hearing on the way forward in Afghanistan with testimony from outside experts at 2 p.m. at Rayburn 2172. https://bit.ly/2Q0qemS

The Senate Appropriations State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee will hold a hearing on fragility in the Sahel at 2:15 p.m. at Dirksen 138. https://bit.ly/2vJQtHs

 

ICMYI

— The Hill: South Korean military: North Korea fired unidentified projectiles

— The Hill: US Army orders stop to movement of troops in South Korea and Italy due to coronavirus

— Reuters: Afghan President Ghani to issue decree on Taliban prisoner release this week

— Defense One: Barred from combat, these women rose to the top of military intelligence

— New York Times: A secret accord with the Taliban: when and how the U.S. would leave Afghanistan

— Defense News: Pentagon awards contracts to design mobile nuclear reactor